A Personal Mission Statement
is a simple statement that… Provides a "reason for being" Is clear, concise, and focused Addresses your Personal Core Values Is used when making choices and decisions Has measurable outcomes
How to Write a Mission Statement
Adapted from work by Janel M. Radtke Every person has a mission, a purpose, a reason for being. Your parents may have established a mission for you. They have a belief about why you were created. Why do you need a personal mission statement? Stephen Covey in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People says, "If you don't set your goals based upon your
Mission Statement, you may be climbing the ladder of success only to realize, when you get to the top, you're on the WRONG BUILDING."
A good personal mission statement should accurately explain why you exist and what you hope to achieve in the future. It articulates your essential nature, your values, and what you see as your work. It sets measurable goals with clear deadlines. This should be accomplished in a brief paragraph that is free of jargon. In other words, it should avoid the kind of everyday idioms and slang that you may be in the habit of swapping with friends, but is unfamiliar to anyone who is outside your circle of friends or your age group. An effective mission statement must resonate with you, kind of like when you sing in a tile shower. Your voice sounds so good that you are inspired to think that you could win on American Idol. Your mission statement must express your purpose in a way that inspires commitment, innovation, and courage.
Your Mission Statement Should . . .
express your purpose in a way that inspires ongoing commitment motivate you to stay connected to your goals be articulated in a way that is convincing and easy to grasp use proactive verbs to describe what you do be free of jargon be short enough so that you can readily memorize itYour Mission
1. List 3 to 5 positive characteristics that define you.
2. Describe actions or behaviors that demonstrate to others that you possess these characteristics.
3. What are the opportunities or needs that you dream of addressing? (your purpose)
4. What are you doing and will you do to address these needs? (your work)
5. What principles or beliefs guide your work? (your values)
6. What are you passionate about?
7. In 5 years, I will be…
Using the style discussed in class, develop your Personal Mission Statement that incorporates your values and goals.Sample
Mission Statements
Values: family, service, work, knowledge, spirituality, environment
My mission is to develop strong bonds of love with my family, to reach out to others in need, to have work I deem meaningful, to increase my knowledge, to enlarge my soul, and to enhance my environment.
Values: spiritual growth, family, integrity, learning, compassion, respect My mission is to pursue a growing relationship with God, so that I can model integrity, compassion, and respect as a Christian husband, father, and student engaging in an eternity of learning and personal growth.
My mission is to stay connected to and develop a stronger relationship with God. In five years I will have met my husband-to-be, have security as a counselor, and be serving my peers with respect and honesty.
My mission is to grow my relationship with God, be an emotional and financial support to my family, and be a dependable spiritual role model to my peers. In the next five years I will finish my undergraduate degree and be in law school, making grades that match my abilities.
My mission is to develop more intimate bonds with Christ and my family, and achieve self-acceptance and respect through perseverance. In five years I will be recognized by my peers as a knowledgeable Nurse Practitioner of integrity.